


where storms and stars come from

by burnsidesjulia



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Drowning, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Mermaids, mostly just some good boys bein' family, references to death, references to vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-25 15:52:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14980469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burnsidesjulia/pseuds/burnsidesjulia
Summary: Taako pulls Angus from the waters of Bottlenose Cove. He gets more than he bargains for.





	where storms and stars come from

**Author's Note:**

> title from the poem Young Sea by Carl Sandburg

Bottlenose Cove was once beautiful.

Back before the Spellplague hit, Taako remembers. Sea life grew like gardens, tide pools upon rocks and seaweed dying the waters green. But when magic went out, a little something fell from nature, too. The magic came back. Whatever else left did not. He’s here often enough, whenever Merle drags him out to his house or Magnus wants to go seashell hunting. Sometimes he even surfs. And he’s been here before, too. So he knows that.

But that was a long time ago, you know.

Taako honestly hates the beach when he’s not occupied with surfing. There’s something about the slow drag of the waves, the birds overhead, the people lounging on the sand. It’s chill, sure, but everything moves so slow here. But he’s here, out on the beach looking for the sandals Merle made him and he left out last night. They’re hideous, but they’re comfy. That’s kinda Taako’s jam nowadays.

It’s too early in the morning for other beach goers, and it’s the wrong season anyway. He’s alone on the sand, total silence but the crash of tides.

He’s about a mile up the beach when he sees movement in the water.

There’s something out there flailing. And it’s making noise, too, little noises, kinda like a scared animal. And there’s bubbles coming up. And oh shit, something out there is _drowning_.

“Hey!” Taako shouts out to it. “Hey, you good?” He’s not sure what effect he’s actually hoping to have, but the drowning thing actually gives out a shout in response. “Help me!” it says, and then in a scared little voice it adds on, “Please?” And then the flailing stops, and the bubbles stop coming. He watches a tiny hand poke up through the surface just to grasp at empty air before sinking below.

Taako pauses just long enough to consider his silk pants and how much it’ll cost him to replace them. And then he’s knee deep in the water, kicking around and looking for a body.

He finds it with his toes, lying still on the bottom of the sea, and he gives it a sharp push upward. There is a moment of silence, and then the water breaks in two and a very, very small boy erupts to the surface. His eyes are wide. His clothes are drenched. Taako doesn’t know what to do, and so he whacks him on the back. The boy whirls upright, coughs up seawater, and then sinks back under like a stone.

Taako pulls him out again with some newfound strength, determined to save this weird little dude. This kid surfaces again and this time seems to actually register Taako there. He hurriedly starts splashing, moving about an inch toward Taako before starting to sink again. Taako sticks a hand out and the boy clings to it with both hands. He climbs up Taako’s arm like it’s a rope and wraps his little legs around Taako’s middle. “You okay, homie?” Taako asks, as gently as he thinks he can stomach, and the kid stares at him blankly and then spits seawater all down his front. “Gross,” he says, but quietly so the little guy doesn’t hear. He seems to notice anyway, and after another wet cough or two he looks at Taako and asks, “Could you get my glasses, sir?”

“Glasses?” Taako echoes, and he nearly drops the kid again. As his arms loosen, the kid grabs on tighter and says, “Please don’t put me back, sir. But I need my glasses to see.”

“I mean…” Taako considers this for a second, considers this weirdly polite kid and how of _course_ he’d need Taako to get his glasses too. The kid drowned in a sweater vest, after all. And then he says, “Yeah, sure, okay, I’ll get your glasses. Can you swim, my guy?” The boy’s cheeks darken and he says, “Not very well, sir, no.” He shrugs shyly. “I could try again if you need me to.”

“Yeah, no, we’re not having anyone drown under Taako’s care. You got a name, little dude?” The kid smiles, almost beams proudly. He says, “My name is Angus McDonald, sir, named after my grandpa.” Taako waves his hand dismissively. “Yeah, okay, save the backstory for dry land, Angus. Get ready to float a bit.”

“What do you-” is all Angus really has time to get out before Taako is burning a second level spell slot to float this little kid a few feet above the water. And Angus seems to be panicking for just a moment, and then understanding and maybe even a little delighted as Taako dives back under, opens his eyes against the sting of dirty water. And dang, there’s a lot of seaweed in this part of the cove. He sticks his hand into a slimy bunch of it, pulls away nothing but a slug or two.  
He digs around in the sand, finds some cool seashells Magnus would like, but other than that it’s to no avail. He resurfaces when he finally needs to breath, and Angus is lounging on his front in midair, staring down at Taako below the water.

“Your dive formation could use some work, sir,” he says, and Taako is half tempted to drop him back in the sea. Instead, Taako shrugs and replies, “Couldn’t find your glasses down there, Agnes. You’ll have to go without ‘em.”

“Oh, that’s okay, sir,” Angus answers immediately, seeming desperate to please and not be too much trouble. He fiddles with his fingers for a moment and then says, “But my name is actually Angus, sir.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Taako says. He looks Angus over for injuries. He’s got a little scrape on his arm where he must've hit the bottom, but he’s breathing fine and isn’t bleeding. Good. Taako doesn’t know healing spells. “Alright, little man,” he announces, “We’re heading back. You wanna float there?”

There is a pause, and then Angus’ tiny voice says, “I’d actually prefer to be carried, sir.” Taako gapes up at him for a moment, wondering if he’s _really_ going to do this, and then before he knows it he’s releasing the spell with a snap of his fingers. Angus falls back into his arms. “Thank you, sir,” Angus replies quietly and buries his nose into Taako’s chest. Taako rolls his eyes. He’s ditching this kid as soon as he gets the chance.

-

“What’s your story, little man?” Taako asks him once Angus is back in Merle’s house, wrapped up in a towel. He’s wearing one of Taako’s lazy shirts, just slightly too big on him. Taako can’t help but marvel at how _small_ this kid is.

“I was… I was swimming. In the water.” Angus is still squinting, looking at Taako like he’s trying to see into him. “And now I’m not in the water.”

“No kidding.” He stands up from where he’d crouched in front of Angus’ seat, and looks around aimlessly. It’s too early for anyone else to be up. He’s trapped with this little monster. He turns back and says, “You weren’t doing a very good job of swimming.”

“No, sir, I wasn’t.” Angus shivers a couple times as he says it. “I’m not very used to… to swimming.” He looks out the window toward the cove. There’s a glimmer in his eyes as he speaks. Taako watches him stare with uncomfortable intensity at the water as it laps up on the beach. After he’s had his fill of this kid being a weirdo, Taako admits, “I’m not sure what to do about you, Agnes.”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“I mean, I’m not really a big _kid_ person. And I can’t exactly take you back to the water.”

“That’s fair, sir. So now what?” Angus is still looking out at the ocean. Taako shrugs. “You got parents, Agnes?” The kid’s face falls, and he looks away from the ocean very suddenly, as if he is ashamed to have been caught looking at all. He shakes his head slowly. “I… no, sir. No I don’t.”

“Any relatives?” Taako presses. Angus keeps shaking his head. “No, sir. None I can really… stay with right now.” He looks back out at the water. Taako grabs him gently by the shoulder and wheels him around. “Hey, kid, if you wanted to drown yourself, you shouldn’t have stuck with me. You’re _not_ going back to the water, capeesh?” There is complete and utter nothingness for a moment as Angus stares back at him with wide, unblinking eyes. Taako thinks maybe he broke the kid, and then big fat tears start welling up in his eyes and his shoulders start shaking. Taako stumbles back a step or two, fearful of the inevitable explosion, but instead Angus just stutters out, “I’m s-sorry, sir, I- I d-didn’t mean to worry you.” He smiles shakily. “I j- just miss my home, is all.”

Taako furrows his brows. “Hey, don’t cry, kid. I’m not angry with you. Now you got family or not, Angus?”

“Everyone has family, sir,” the kid says, a little more steady, but tears are still spilling out of his eyes and he’s scrubbing at them with two tiny palms. “Mine is just very far away, sir.” Taako chances a step closer and puts one limp hand on Angus’ shoulder. That seems to do it for whatever reason, and the kid perks right back up and smiles a little brighter. He’s got a nice, sweet smile, Taako notes, big teeth in front and a dimple in both cheeks. It’s infectious, and before Taako can really think about it, he’s smiling back. “Where you from, Angus?” Angus’ eyes go wide again, and he furrows his little eyebrows and says, slowly, “Lots of water.” He waves a hand vaguely, scratches at the side of his head and finishes, “The Sword Coast, sir.”

“That’s on the other side of Faerun,” Taako points out uselessly, as if that does him any good. Angus nods. “I know it’s far away, sir. I’ve been there.”

“Don’t get smart with me, Agnes,” Taako scolds, but does it lightheartedly. This kid cries at the drop of a hat. Even with the gentleness in his voice, he sees Angus flinch back a little. He doesn’t say anything for a long time, and turns back toward the water.

“Sir?” He says finally. Taako, still unused to being called _sir_ , doesn’t respond. “Mister Taako?” Angus tries instead, and his voice is much less steady as he says that. Taako turns. “Hm?” He responds, and Angus squints at him through thick lashes. “Why didn’t anybody come help me, sir?”

“I did,” Taako answers simply. Angus shakes his head. “But nobody else did, sir. I was out there for a while.”

“Oh.” Taako tries to think of an answer that won’t break his fragile little heart. “I guess some people just don’t like getting involved.”

“Isn’t getting involved the right thing to do, sir?” His voice is small and quiet. He’s gone back to squinting at the water. Taako nods. “Yeah, I guess. Taako usually does the right thing, Agnes, that’s something you’ll learn.” Angus turns back toward him, his eyes nearly closed with the effort it’s taking him to see Taako at all. “I’m not sure I understand. Why wouldn’t people do the right thing?”

Taako doesn’t know how to answer that. He gives Angus a pointed look and says, “Let’s go see if Merle’s prescription will work for you.”

-

Taako casts Silence on the hallway between Merle’s room and the bathroom to allow him and Angus to pass through without waking him up. Angus watches in awe as he does so.

“You know magic, sir,” Angus says, and his little voice has a hint of longing to it. Taako nods. “Yeah. So what?” He steps into the hall and starts walking, entirely sure that Angus will follow him.

“ _I_ don’t know magic.” Angus steps into the silenced bubble of the hallway. “And I thought it was neat, sir, that’s all.” He follows Taako quietly despite their ability to make noise. Taako stops and looks at him. Angus shrinks back. “Wha- what is it, sir?” He asks, his voice small and shaky. Taako takes note and puts a more pleasant expression on his face. That seems to work, and Angus seems soothed. “I mean, we’re in a silenced area. Don’t you wanna yell?”

“What?” Angus laughs, seems half shocked into it and half uncomfortable. Taako quirks an eyebrow. “I mean, you’re a little kid. Don’t little kids just yell sometimes?”

“I’m ten and a half, sir,” Angus replies, putting his little hands in balls on his hips. “And I never really… I’ve never done that.” Taako scoffs. “Why not? I did it when I was younger. But that was a century or two ago so, I dunno, little man.”

“I could yell if you want me to, sir,” Angus says. Taako can’t hold back a laugh at that. “Okay, sure, Agnes. Give me a yell.” Angus’ little eyebrows shuffle closer together uncomfortably. “Okay,” he says, but the confused twist does not depart from his lips. He tosses his still balled up hands down at his side and says, “Ahh?” just a little louder than his normal voice. Taako snorts without really thinking about it. “Oh yeah,” he laughs. “Oh, that was good. Do it again, Agnes.” He’s clutching at his stomach now, unable to stop. Angus has placed his hands back on his hips. “You don’t have to mock me, sir,” he says, just a little grumpy. Taako places that note in his voice and slowly comes down from his laughing fit. Angus seems a little surprised when he actually stops.

“Sorry about it, Angus,” Taako manages through a few residual chuckles. “But you sounded like a real goober.” Angus tilts his head, his tiny eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t know that word.” Taako is a bit taken aback at that- it had started to seem like Angus knew just about everything, bar magic. Also, he’s a little kid. Isn’t that a little kid swear?

“It means like… like a goofball, you know?” Angus stays squinty and confused. Taako runs his hand through his hair and tries again. “Like silly. Do you know that one?”

“Kind of,” Angus says, and then admits, “Not really.” He scratches at his little neck. Taako is kinda fascinated by how tiny humans can get. He’s never really seen young humans this close and personal. Angus shrugs and says, “I guess we spoke a little different,” he says. “Back… where I came from.” He turns very quickly and finishes, “Where’s the glasses, sir? I’d like to be able to see again.” Taako is a bit unnerved by how he’s so quick to change the subject, but he doesn’t let it phase him too much. Humans are strange, so kids must be even stranger. That makes sense to Taako. He points Angus to a door on the left and Angus heads in ahead of him, rifling through the cabinets. Taako steps in behind him and watches.

Merle’s bathroom is a strange place- he’s got plants all over the place, hanging from the ceiling and seated in the windows, spilling over from their pots into the bathtub. Beyond that, he’s got bottles and bottles of weird salves for his wooden arm, sprays for the aforementioned plants, oils for his beard and drops for his eyes to deal with the whole lack-of-darkvision thing that dwarves aren’t usually equipped for. All of that is just what’s scattered around the counter, because the inside of the cabinets are stuffed with cleaning supplies and extra shirts, each of them tackier than the last. Angus finds this out the hard way and he opens up a lower cabinet and is met with three green flower-print hawaiian shirts and seven bottles of fantasy Windex. He looks up at Taako with obvious confusion in his little eyes.

“Glasses are behind the mirror, little homie,” he says, opening it up and pulling out Merle’s extra pair. “You kinda learn to traverse the mess.” He hands Angus the glasses and yeah, they’re way too big. They hang off his nose in a way that would almost be stylish if he wasn’t ten years old and wearing a shirt that says “KISS THE COOK” in rhinestones. Still, Angus holds out his little arms in the universal, _how do i look?_ pose, and Taako almost laughs. Luckily, he thinks better of it before the sound escapes. “Pretty sweet, little man,” he says instead, and Angus smiles so big that Taako thinks his little face will tear. “Thank you sir!” he beams, and then adds on, with some hesitation, “You’re very pretty! I’m glad I can see you now.” Taako feels a tug on his heartstrings, and he can’t believe it, but damn. He might kinda like this kid.

-

Merle wakes up around three hours later, after Taako has tired of Angus’ endless questions.

(“What’s a tractor?” Angus asks innocently, staring at Merle’s Kenny Chesney poster.

“Nothing you need to worry about, Ango.” Silence falls between them.

“What’s the word ‘sexy’ mean?”

Taako ushers him away from the poster.)

Taako plopped Angus down on the couch with a book about forty-five minutes ago, and Angus has been silently devouring it since. Taako didn’t even look to see what book it was, just grabbed one off of Merle’s table and stuck it in his hands. He checks it out now and finds the title _How to Drink Dwarven_ , which is probably not something a child should be reading, Taako thinks. He scans Angus’ face for any sense of discomfort or confusion, but whatever Angus finds in the book must be fascinating. His eyes are glued to the page behind his thick-lensed glasses.

Taako feels a hand on his lower back and turns to find Merle, still half asleep. Merle smiles at him with gritted teeth and says, “What is this small child doing in my house?”

“I found him on the beach,” Taako hisses back. “I saved his life.”

“You’re about to have to save it again,” Merle huffs. He starts toward Angus, and Taako grabs him by his shirt collar to yank him back.

“Merle!” Taako whispers harshly. “He’s a kid! Can’t you let him be?” Merle shakes his head and struggles forward. “C’mon, lemme go!” he says in a half-whine. “He’s ruining my bachelor pad!”

“I can hear you, sirs,” Angus says, flipping the page of the book casually. He does not look up. Taako releases Merle with a heavy sigh, and watches Merle march toward Angus. Angus looks up from his book slowly. “Yes, sir?” he asks flatly. Merle’s eyebrows shoot up. “You’re in my house, mister _yes sir_. Mind telling’ me why, exactly?”

“Oh, no problem, sir. Mister Taako brought me here. He saved me.” Angus smiles sweetly and turns back to his book. Merle whips around to shoot Taako a look, but all he can do is give a hard shrug in reply. Angus hadn’t been so short with him earlier.

“I was askin’ you to leave, kiddo,” Merle tries again, and Angus looks up, genuinely confused. “Oh!” He says, and sounds like he actually just now understood that. He looks Merle up and down and shrugs. “Well, no thank you, sir.” He goes back to his book again.

“Hey, Ango, come on, don’t be rude,” Taako finds himself saying before he can consider how much of a dad he really sounds like. Both Angus and Merle look at him. Taako half expects a snarky reply in response, maybe this attitude is something he’s picked up from the book, but Angus just says, “Sorry about that, sir. I won’t be rude.” He holds his book out in front of his nose and starts reading again. Merle takes in a deep breath and waddles back over to Taako.

“Your kid is an asshole,” he fumes, his face a ruddy red color. Taako can’t help but grin. “He’s not so bad,” he says, and only several seconds later thinks to tack on, “And he’s not my kid.” Merle rolls his eyes. “Well, he’s your problem. And I want him outta my house.”

“Merle, be serious. Where am I supposed to take this kid? He doesn’t have any family.” Merle crosses his stubby arms and shakes his head decisively. “Uh-uh, don’t care. He’s a little snot and I want him out.” Taako tries to argue again, but it seems Merle isn’t having it. He’s just stuck up one finger and is holding it to Taako’s lips. Taako struggles to pull away, but Merle is stronger than he looks. Angus looks up from his book for just long enough to see the struggle and says, “That’s very immature, sirs.”

Taako laughs. Merle nearly blows up.

“Out of my house,” Merle repeats quietly, eyes narrowed dangerously in Taako’s direction. “Before Magnus wakes up. He’ll be all over that freaking kid, gods know he’s adorable.” He shivers. “Blech.” All Taako can do is nod. Merle finally cedes and lets him go, and so Taako walks over and pulls the book from Angus’ hands. Angus stares down at them, now empty. “I was just getting to the good part, sir,” he says. “May I have that back?”

“Nah, kid,” Taako answers. He tosses the book onto the other side of the couch. “We’re headin’ out.”

“Oh, okay.” Angus is quiet for a moment. “Where to, sir?”

“Uhh…” Taako waves his hand vaguely. “Chez Taako. You’ll love it.” He reaches out and pats Angus on the shoulder. Angus stands, and Taako pretends not to notice when he snatches the book back from the edge of the couch. Angus walks to the door ahead of Taako, and Taako leans back in at the last moment. “Thanks for the glasses!” He shouts to Merle.

Taako slams the door behind them just fast enough to cut off Merle shouting back.

-

Taako lives a little ways away, back toward dry land. Taako expects Angus to be bored the whole time, but he seems excited about, well. About everything. Angus is on Taako’s shoulders, his little feet dangling over his front, his long t-shirt whipping out behind him like a cape. Taako is opposed to carrying him, he’s not a _horse_ , for the gods sakes, but Angus didn’t have any shoes and no way was Taako going to lend him a pair of heels. Angus keeps pointing at flowers and asking what they are, or if they have any medicinal purposes, and Taako has to explain to him that he isn’t exactly a nature guy. He recognises common things, of course, things like the ivy climbing up tree trunks and witch hazel sprouting up from below the leaves covering the road, but when Angus is pointing to trees and asking, “What’s that one, sir?”, Taako has to draw the line a little bit. Angus is also fascinated by birds, saying he’s only ever seen gulls before. Taako somehow doubts that, but he plays along. “That’s a crow, Agnes. And that’s a finch… that one’s a blue bird…”

Taako’s house isn’t exactly glam. It’s also not exactly child-friendly, so he tells Angus to wait outside while he cleans up a little. Angus folds his little hands in front of him and waits, patiently.

He wades in the door through the mountain of shoes he just tosses there. He’s going to ignore that, mostly, just pauses long enough to clear a pathway wide enough for Angus’ little feet. He makes it out to the living room, shuffles around a couple cooking magazines in order to cover up his copies of _Tieflings Monthly_ , sweeps a dirty pair of leggings or two under his couch. He even stops to clean up the plastic wrappings from several unhealthy snacks, carries them to his kitchen and dumps them unceremoniously, as if they didn’t act as his roommates for several months as they sat, sticky on his floor. Whatever. Live and let die. When he’s ridded his hands of garbage, he stops and looks around. He’s not sure what he’s got to entertain a child but, eh. He’ll probably figure it out. He walks back outside and invites Angus in.

He expects Angus to be a little turned off by all the trash and the general messiness, but he seems pretty happy just to be here. He also seems like he’s roping it in a lot, just standing with clasped hands in the middle of the living room, not doing anything much. Taako collapses back on the couch. “You can sit down, you know,” he says, and Angus doesn’t respond. He just turns in a little circle, eyes wide, looking at everything. Taako’s a little uncomfortable, to be honest, what with this little kid so harshly examining his living quarters. Angus finishes another one of his circles and catches Taako’s eye. He pauses. “Am I making you uncomfortable, sir?”

“Huh? Oh, nah, broski. Not even a little bit.” Taako rolls his eyes and waves it away. “Just weird havin’ company, you know.” Angus raises a tiny eyebrow. “You don’t have people over, sir?”

“Not really,” Taako yawns, relaxing back onto his couch. If Angus isn’t gonna sit, he’s gonna take advantage of that. “This is primarily a Taako-only space. You’re lucky, little man, you’d best enjoy this privilege.”

“I will, sir,” Angus says, and he really does sound like he means it. Taako can’t help but crack a smile. His smile hits a pretty hard falter when Angus says, softly, “I’ve never had a house before, sir.”

Taako sits up and looks at Angus. Angus is still busy looking at everything else, trying to push his glasses up his nose to see better. He’s looking at Taako’s bookshelf, at his wands, at his chairs. Angus seems interested in all of it. “Never had a house, Ango?” Taako asks bluntly, and Angus turns. His eyes get very big for a second, and then he starts to stutter in reply. “Well, no, of course I had a house, sir. My house was just very different.”

“Different how?” Taako laughs. “Didn’t have a door or something?”

“Well…” Angus gets quiet again. “No sir. No door.” He sniffles and turns back to looking at a wand Taako has on his bookshelf. Taako watches in silence. He can’t figure out why Angus would get emotional about a door. He’s beginning to feel unsure about whether or not _all_ kids are this weird, or if it’s just Angus. Something tells him he shouldn’t ask, and so he doesn’t.

He makes Angus fish sticks, because kids love that shit, he figures. Angus seems more than pleased with that and eats them with gusto, and Taako is pretty pleased with himself, too, for doing something right for this kid. Afterwards, Angus picks up another book and reads for awhile from some book Taako happened to have on trees. He points out trees they saw for a while, and then falls silent. Taako looks over him to make sure he’s okay, and finds his breathing steady, all movement minimal.

He smiles a bit. “You tired, Ango?”

“Yeah,” Angus yawns. He’s curled up in a ratty armchair, definitely a large enough space for him to sleep. Taako gently pulls the book out of his hands. “Alright, little man. Get some rest, then.” Angus nods. “Okay.” He shimies a little further down into the chair, lets out a sigh. “Goodnight, sir. Thank you.”

Taako doesn’t reply. He takes a step or two back and looks down at Angus. He thinks about pulling him from the water again, about the look in his eyes when he stared back out at it. It is long after Angus has fallen to sleep that Taako answers back with, “Goodnight, Angus.”

Taako lays down to rest, too, in his own room. He’s been awake since the asscrack of dawn, and he’s burned one or two too many spell slots.

If he closes his eyes and thinks hard enough, he can hear the rustling of the sea.

-

Taako asks Angus if he wants to go anywhere other than his house. Angus answers, “I don’t know,” and so Angus stays.

He meets everyone. First he’s introduced to Magnus, who gives him piggyback rides and sneaks him candy. Angus is intrigued by this, doesn’t recognize that he’s even supposed to eat it at first. He sits on the couch, heavily sniffing a piece of taffy.

“You’re supposed to eat it,” Taako tells him. Taako’s grown used to Angus not understanding things that seem simple, but understanding things that a child shouldn’t necessarily know. Like, when Angus corrects him and says that swordfish don’t actually live anywhere but in the Great Sea, Taako accepts it as the truth. Angus looks up at him and back down at the taffy. “Do I take the paper stuff off, sir?” Taako is half tempted to tell him to leave it on, but instead comes over and unwraps it for him. He plops the candy back into Angus’ small hand. The room goes quiet as Angus chews.

“It’s very sticky, sir,” Angus says when Taako asks him what he thinks, and Taako can only smile in response.

He meets Merle again, albeit reluctantly on Merle’s part. He still thinks the kid is a snot, but when Angus takes hold of his wooden arm and tells him all about soulwood and how much he’s learned from the books Taako has bought him, Taako thinks he sees a glimmer of appreciation in Merle’s eye.

They’re about three months into Angus’ stay, and Taako wakes up to the sound of running water. 

His house isn’t very big, so the sound echoes clearly across the hallway. He sits up, half zoned into his meditation state, and stares at the wall while he tries to puzzle together what that sound is. When he finally places it, he’s just as confused as he was before. It’s fully dark outside, must be at least three in the morning. There’s no reason anyone should be in his house, let alone running water.

Taako crosses the hallway to check on Angus, first of all. That’s his first instinct, and a month or two ago that would’ve freaked him out. But now, it’s a pattern, and when he wakes up at night, he checks on Angus. Angus has made a home of his office space. Taako never really used it, just stuffed it full of things he was too clingy to throw away, things like old torn books and cardboard boxes that he might later use. Angus didn’t have anything when he moved in, but he’s slowly amassed some items. He’s got an old ratty mattress and some nice blankets, some books that he likes from a series called Caleb Cleveland because Angus saw it in the book store and couldn’t tear his eyes away. He’s got a couple little vests and pants to match it. A neat brown pair of loafers. Some new glasses.

When Taako opens Angus’ door, he is not in his bed. Taako’s sleep-addled brain takes a moment to process this, and then pieces together that it must be Angus running the water. He turns on his heel and heads to the bathroom. He stands outside for a moment, hears a gentle splash, then Angus humming in his soft little voice. Taako knocks, and hears the shower curtain screech across the bar.

“Yes, sir?” Angus asks, and his little voice has a tremor to it. Taako presses his ear to the door. “Hey, little man?” he asks, loud enough to be heard over the splashing. He pauses, and the says, “Can I come in?”

“No, sir,” Angus stutters. “I’m… showering, sir.” He hums a little louder as if to make this clear to Taako. Taako pulls back and stares at the door with lowered brows and a frown. This isn’t the first time this has happened, a normal night until he wakes up too early with Angus in the bathtub. In fact, this is the third time, and Angus has given the same shaky and unsure responses each time. Taako knocks again. “C’mon, Agnes. I have to… I gotta pee, or something.” Taako wonders if Angus will deny him entry again, and then there is a small voice.

“Sir?” He sounds terrified. Taako presses his hands to the door too. “Yeah? You okay, Ango?”

Another pause. Angus says, “I’m not showering, sir.”

Taako feels his mouth pull downward. “...Okay.” He looks at the door like he’ll be able to see through it if he tries hard enough. “What ya doing, then?”

Another splash. Angus squeaks, “Can you come in?”

Taako pulls back a little, pretty uncomfortable. But Angus is just a kid, and if he needs help with something, well.

Taako whirls open the door. Angus is in the bathtub, full up to the rim, with a tail wrapped around him.

A tail.

It’s long and an icy silver color that blurs into deep blue scales at the end. Taako just stands in the doorway and stares.

Angus has his little arms crossed over his chest. He’s not wearing his glasses, and so he’s squinting. His face is all screwed up like he might cry, and two little fins stick off either side of his head. Tiny gills slice across the sides of his neck.

Taako blinks down at him. He scrubs his eyes. Angus’ tail is still there when the spots clear from his vision.

“Soo…” Taako drums his fingers on the countertop, and then points to where Angus’ tail is splashing about again. “You’re a mermaid.”

“Yes, sir,” Angus says in his tiny voice, and Taako sees all his teeth are razor sharp. Angus shrugs. “Mermaid, merman. It’s all the same to me, sir.”

“Merfolk,” Taako clarifies, and Angus nods. “Yes, sir.” He falls silent again except the splash of his tail. Taako takes a step closer, very careful to not squeak the tiles. He doesn’t want to scare Angus. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It was easy to keep secret, sir,” Angus says with another shrug. “I only change once a month.”

“Oh.” Taako looks back to his tail. “That thing’s pretty cool, Ango.”

“Thank you, sir.” Angus’ voice is still small. Taako approaches the side of the bathtub and bumps his arm with a limp fist. “Don’t get all shy on me, Agnes. C’mon, tell me about it. What’s it like being a mermaid?”

Angus shys away for just a moment. And then he smiles and says, “Mer _folk_ , actually.”

Taako smiles back. Angus’ smile isn’t as cute or as precious as it is normally, what with the tiny razor teeth, but that’s alright. He thinks he could get used to this, too.

-

It keeps happening. Once a month, Angus closes himself in the bathroom, and then the splashes start.

Taako learns that it happens when Angus wants it to happen, really, but it has to be once a month at least. Beyond that, he’s like any other little boy. Normal is subjective, Angus tells him when Taako likens him to a normal human. Taako wonders where he even learned that word.

Sometimes Taako comes and sits with him while he waits out the change. He’ll stay in his merform for a couple hours, laying back in the bathtub, spilling water out onto the tile. They talk about life, about Angus’ books and Taako’s baking. Taako tells him about how he used to be on TV.

“Why’d you stop, sir?” Angus asks. Taako laughs uncomfortably. “Why’s anyone do anything?” he jokes, and Angus doesn’t seem amused. He touches Taako’s arm with webbed fingers.

“I came here because I didn’t like where I was,” Angus says, as if that’s the answer Taako was looking for. He shrugs one slightly scaly shoulder. “Do you like where _you_ are?”

Taako scoffs and leaves the bathroom abruptly. Angus remains silent in the bathtub for the rest of the night.

Mostly, Taako just leaves him alone to read. Angus likes that.

And every now and again, Taako walks him out to the cove.

The first time, it’s a mess. Angus gets so excited that he starts his transformation on the walk over, and Taako has to cast Create Water on him so he doesn’t drown. He finds himself burning a lot of spell slots for this kid. He runs through the dark with Angus on his back, pouring water on his gills every now and again. His clothes are drenched. By the time they make it to the beach, he’s laughing, breathless, can’t stop smiling. Once Angus is in the water, he’s laughing too.

Taako is prepared for water this time. He’s wearing swim trunks under his clothes, sheds every other layer against the cold and hops in the water. It’s freezing, but Angus is waiting for him much further out. So he doesn’t stop.

“This water’s fucking horrendous, Ango,” Taako shivers out. “How are you handling it?” Angus threads in and out of the water, his tail glinting like starshine when it flips up out of the water. He stops on a beat where he’s out. “I’m cold blooded, sir,” Angus shouts to him. They’re too far away from each other to talk quietly. “I have special enzymes that let me-”

“Okay, okay, didn’t expect a science lecture! I’ll let it go!” Taako yells back. Angus laughs, his real laugh which is thick and squeaks a little, and Taako laughs back. They disregard every boat on the water, every house on the shore. Right now, it’s only the two of them, and silence is optional. Taako tries struggling his way out into the water, tries to catch up to Angus. Despite his efforts, Angus disappears into a blip on the horizon. The moons reflect larger than life on the surface of the water.

Taako treads water in one place. He knows Angus will come back.

-

Angus always comes back.

-

Angus learns a lot from Taako’s books. Like he can cast Create Water, and he can cast Animal friendship. He learns to cook a little from Taako’s cookbooks.

He’s cooking one day, and he tells Taako to wait in the front room. Taako does as he asks, kicks back and flips through a magazine. He listens carefully for any sounds of distress.

A pan clatters. Angus says, “Ow,” immediately followed by, “I’m okay, sir!”, and Taako smiles.

He can smell the food while it’s cooking. It’s thick and well-spiced, and while Taako is sure that Angus is wrecking his kitchen, he’s proud of him. He waits it out, listens to more pans fall, the clatter of glass on shitty linoleum. Every time, Angus assures him that he’s alright. After two or three hours, Angus comes out of the kitchen with his hands slick with olive oil and grease and says, “Okay, sir! It’s done!”

Taako sits up, shaking sleep away from his eyes. He’d almost dozed off waiting for the food. Now he stands, walks with Angus to the kitchen where he’s expertly plated the food.

Thirty garlic clove chicken.

The world spins faster around Taako as Angus explains finding it on a scrap of paper tucked into a cookbook. “I thought it must be special,” he says, but he sounds very far away. “And I wanted to make something special for you, sir.” Silence, the sound of roaring waves, rushing water. “Sir?” Angus is almost too far away to hear.

Taako finds himself on the ground, his cheek to the floor. Angus is crouched down beside him, peering into his eyes. He looks horrified. “Taako?” He says quietly, and then quickly corrects it to, “Sir? Are you alright?”

Taako sits up. He nods slowly. And he retches on the floor.

Angus quickly pulls his hair back and ties it up, but the worst is already over. Taako just dry heaves for a while, clutching at his gut, his chest. He can’t breath right. He can’t think straight. Everything inside him is scrambled up and shaking, trembling, and the rational part of his brain can’t get a word in edgewise. It’s just chicken. It’s just fucking chicken.

Angus steps up in front of him when the heaving has stopped. His little face is wet and, jeez, he’s crying. Taako hates it when he cries. He punches through the swirling in his gut, pulls Angus toward him and into his arms. He repeats his silent mantra out loud now: “It’s okay, Angus. It’s okay.”

“But, sir, you- I saw you-” He’s stumbling through his tears, and Taako smooths a hand back through his mess of curls. “Angus, I just…” He feels himself shaking. “I have some history, okay? But you’re just a kid. You don’t need to hear it.”

Angus nods but tears keep coming, quietly now. He watches Taako carefully, like he’s afraid to startle him. Taako recognizes it. It’s how he used to act around Angus.

Angus sits down on the tile beside him. His hands are still greasy. “You can tell me, sir.”

Taako shakes his head. “You’re only ten.”

“Ten and three quarters, sir.” And Taako can’t help but smile at that. Angus keeps looking at him with those expectant little eyes, kinda like he can see right through him. Maybe he can.

“How about this,” Taako says after some time. “How about I tell you some parts, and leave you to puzzle out the rest?”

Angus smiles. He’s missing a tooth right now, right in front.

“I love puzzles,” he says. Taako smiles back. “I know you do, ya nerd.”

And Taako tells him. He leaves out Sazed, he leaves out the town name, and he leaves out the actual death. He says they got sick, and leaves it at that. Taako hasn’t talked about this to much of anyone. He feels like a heavy weight has lifted off his chest, but at the same time, he worries that now it’s resting on Angus. But Angus just seems to listen patiently, his little hands in his lap. When Taako is done, he asks, “Is that why you stopped doing TV, sir?”

“Look at you,” Taako chuckles weakly. “Already figuring stuff out.” He stands and pulls down some paper towels to wipe up the vomit. Angus gets on his hands and knees and helps out.

“Sir?” He asks after some time. Taako looks up to face him. “Yeah, little man?”

“I know I’ve asked this before but. Are you happy with where you are?”

Taako thinks about that for a minute. Where he is right now, he’s on the floor, cleaning up puke beside his unofficially adopted merfolk son.

He smiles, bigger than he thinks he has in a long time.

“There’s no place I’d rather be, Ango.”

-

Merle invites Taako over again and again. He brings Angus every time.

After one of their swims, he finds Angus out of bed too early the next morning, propped up at the window. His little eyelids are heavy, drooping. He keeps nodding off and then snapping back upright. And he’s staring out at the sea.

Taako approaches from behind, slowly. “You’ve gotta sleep, little man.” Angus turns around quickly, eyes opening up wide. He scrubs sleep from them and presses his glasses up his nose. “I did sleep, sir,” he says. “Eight whole hours.” A yawn catches the middle of his voice and betrays his dishonesty.

“We haven’t even been back for eight hours, Angus,” Taako scoffs, and he ruffles his hair with a gentle hand. Angus shrugs sheepishly. “Yeah, I guess.” He turns back to the window. Taako lowers his face to where Angus’ is. He stares with him.

“You miss it, don’t you?” he asks, and Angus stiffens up a little. Taako looks at him out of the corner of his eye. His scales are still slowly receding into his skin.

“I guess so, sir,” Angus admits with a breathy sigh. He peeks toward Taako. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s alright, Ango,” Taako answers. They fall into a comfortable silence, listen to the faroff crash and rumble of the sea hitting rocks. Taako thinks about how much Angus has changed since he got here. How much he’s changed since he pulled Angus from the water. How he’s changed for the better.

He takes in a deep breath. “You can go back, you know.” 

Angus whirls around to meet his eyes. There’s pain evident in his face. “Do you want me to go, sir?” he starts, but Taako is already shaking his head, his heart breaking deep within his chest. He grabs Angus into a tight hug.

Of all the things he could say, and with so much he could thank Angus for, what Taako settles upon saying is, “I want you to stay, buddy.”

**Author's Note:**

> me: i've got a magnus story to write!  
> also me: what if agnsuds... **_mermaid_**
> 
> i've honestly been dying to write a mermaid au since i listened to taz. there's gotta be an explanation for ango's oddities.
> 
> anyways... here's some good ol' fashioned family-making. hope you enjoyed. please leave me comments, kudos and the like. it means everything to me.
> 
> im on tumblr @dungeondyke, or @twelvesided. loves ya all


End file.
